


Debits and Credits

by Elderberry



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bathing/Washing, Cats, Child Neglect, Dark Past, Drug Dealing, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Foster Care, Gangs, Gardens & Gardening, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Loneliness, M/M, Massage, Past Child Abuse, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Reunions, Runaway Zechs, Sad with a Happy Ending, Separations, Sickfic, Slow Build, Street Rats, Touch-Starved, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-14
Updated: 2014-11-13
Packaged: 2018-02-25 07:27:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2613356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elderberry/pseuds/Elderberry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After spending the last year abroad Treize is just happy to be back home with Wufei and their friends again. But after a meeting with a sad, worn blond at Duo's cafe and then again after he saves Treize's life, they're own happy lives are about to change.</p><p>Can Treize and Wufei help the man they are both falling in love with? Or will Zechs cling to his despair and continue to dwell in the darkness?</p><p>One thing is for certain, they won't let him go without a fight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Debits and Credits

The Lorn district of Sanq's capital is deathly quiet as Zechs makes his way along the barren main street, though he keeps both eye and ear open for any chance of being spotted by either cops or any number of gang affiliates who consider him competition. The tail end of fall has finally given way to a harsher clime, and underfoot the mix of mud and first snow squelches unpleasantly. Zechs has to hold back a grimace as he steps into a particularly deep puddle, sending another flood of bone chilling slush into his already sodden boots. He wishes he were somewhere else, somewhere warm, or at least dry; instead of running about on the fifth drop off of the day. 

But he's almost through, and as soon as he's dropped the bundle in his coat pocket off to Walch and delivered the night's earning to Hyde can look forward to sleeping for awhile in the hovel he calls home. It's this thought that keeps him going along the old, unkempt street, dodging potholes of muddy, slushy water until the looming, dilapidated building that marks his journeys end comes into view.

Zechs wastes no time making his way around back, where he slips through the entryway and up a flight of rickety old stairs. At the top of the landing he veers right down a corridor that reeks of must and decay and has to hold back a shudder at the tang it leaves on the back of his tongue. Muted sounds filter out from behind the many closed doors he passes, and he does his level best to ignore the distorted sounds of depravity he knows firsthand are taking place within.

At the final door of the lot he stops and raises a frigid hand to knock the pattern of three and two, three for safe and two for carrying, as he has countless times before. Within seconds an answering thud occurs and he steps back as the door swings open to reveal Walch. There's an oily grin on the other mans ragged face, and he eyes Zechs up and down before gesturing him inside. He takes a few steps forward, just far enough to allow the door to swing closed, before glaring at Walch and crossing his arms.

"It's six hundred for the lot," he huffs, ready to be done and gone from this rotten place already. 

"Gotta check it." 

Zechs has to hold back an eye roll at the pointed tone — he's been dealing with Walch for years and has never sold bad product before, has in fact been known to carry only the best. But he uncrosses his arms and draws out the bundle from within its hidden pocket anyway, because this whole business is a game — and he can't afford to lose.

The other man takes it and moves over to the weathered table on the far side of the room. Zechs follows because he's been doing this long enough to know to never let unpaid for goods switch hands without being watched carefully, especially when his entire next weeks worth of meals is riding on its sale. So he eyes Walch as the man unwraps the layers of cotton padding to reveal the glass, stoppered bottle half full of waxy-yellow colored substance. Neither speak, as Walch turns the thing this way and that, before taking the top off to whiff deeply of the contents. 

"Looks strong," the other finally says from where he's bent over. "Six hundred, yeh say?" 

"And not a cent less," Zechs affirms, because Walch is right, the stuff is top of the line and Hyde would chop fingers off if he took any less for it. 

Some of the tension he's been carrying for the past few hours dissipates when the man nods and sets the bottle back down on the table. Zechs watches silently as he mutters and digs through the pockets of his dirty jeans.

"Ere," he grunts, shoving a fistful of crumpled notes at Zechs. "And yeh tell Hyde I'm willing ta buy another whole lot if he can keep this ere quality up."

He counts the money quickly, checking for anything counterfeit as he does, and when everything checks out forces a smile and glances in Walch's direction. 

"I'll let him know." 

He's quick to leave after that, tucking the money away safely in the same pocket that had previously held his final sale of the night. No more words are exchanged between he and Walch, the other now more concerned with testing out his latest score and Zechs desperate to be rid of the junkie and surrounding squalor. 

Within minutes he's back out on the street, grateful to be breathing fresh air once more instead of the stale, acrid odor the buildings in this part of the city always seem to have lingering in them. It's still freezing out, and he stuffs his hands in his coat pockets to try and ward off the chill, but it helps only marginally and he can't hold back the sigh that escapes at the thought of another cold night spent waiting outside for Hyde to call. 

It could take anywhere from minutes to hours for the man he supposes is his boss to give him a drop off point for the nights earnings, and there is a good chance he's at the club trying to solicit all he can from whatever unlucky persons failed to meet the months quota of sales. 

The very thought makes Zechs shudder, and he's eternally grateful to whatever god out there has kept such a thing from ever happening to him. It's not a position he ever wants to find himself in, because he's seen the faces of those unlucky enough to be subjected to such a fate, and the vacant, haunted expressions are nearly as painful to see as the dead eyes of the long time addicts he caters to.

So he walks for long stretches, keeping his head down whenever a stray car passes by while trying in vein to avoid some of the larger patches of water. It's only when his wet feet are so cold he fears frostbite that he finally decides waiting outside any longer is to much of a hazard, and that maybe something hot would do to take the edge off. It's an appealing thought, and when he glances about it's to notice rather pleasantly that he's no longer in the more unsavory side of town, but in a trendy little neighborhood that boasts many late night cafes for bar goers and night owls alike. 

A few more blocks and he finds such a place. Nestled between what looks like a used bookstore and a yoga studio. There's a sign above the large picture window which reads 'The Daily Grind' and though Zechs finds it mildly corny, is quick to pull open the door and duck inside. 

He's greeted by the chime of a little bell and a wave of warmth carrying the delightful smell of strongly brewed coffee. No further convincing is needed and after stomping a bit of the muddy slush off of his boots makes his way quickly to the counter where he's greeted by a smiling, short haired girl who introduces herself as Hilde. 

"We have different ciders on special this week!" Hilde beams, "and over fifty blends of tea, so what can I getcha for?" 

He orders a large black coffee, and turns down Hilde's offers of added flavor shots or espresso politely. After a lifetime of surviving off of the dregs and scarcely ever having the luxury of milk or sugar, a decently brewed cup of coffee is a treat he's not about to ruin by adding anything he's not used to having. 

Hilde returns to the counter and hands him a steaming paper cup with another smile, and Zechs does his best to return it while fishing through a pocket for the last five note he has to his name. It's not a huge loss, Hyde owes him for a weeks running and payday is tomorrow; so he waves Hilde off when she goes to hand back his change and turns instead to make his way towards a little table by the window. There are a few other patrons in the shop and he listens to the low murmur of their voices while taking the first sip of his coffee. 

The street outside is still empty save for the occasional vehicle, and Zechs holds in another sigh as the weeks exhaustion finally begins to catch up. His hands are shaking around the cup he holds and his whole body is stinging with the heat after so long in the cold. Sleep claws at his consciousness, but there are likely hours left to go until he's free to pass out on the old futon back at his flat. 

There's a fleeting wish that over takes him — for enough self pity to lament his lot in life, but it was used up a long time ago — back during days where there may have still been a chance or two for something more. He's given up on such pipe dreams now, knows he's likely to never have much more than the little he does — knows that even if he does ever find more its liable to be ripped away like everything else.

The dark thoughts circling above like vultures are pushed away however, when the bell above the door chimes and a sudden voice from within the cafe calls out. 

"Treize!"

There's a flurry of motion he catches from the corner of his eye as a young man comes bursting out from behind the counter from seemingly out of nowhere. In seconds the person has reached the shops entrance and is reaching for the heavy coat the other newcomer has just removed. 

"Wufei called earlier and said your flight was getting in tonight instead of tomorrow morning! I knew you'd stop here first! How was it? How was Arizona? Oh, and California? Did you have time to see the White Mountains? Did you eat any scorpions?! I've heard their a delicacy!" 

The man is nearly breathless by the time he's finished his long winded greeting, and Zechs is certain there was not a single intake of air the entire time. Rather impressive, really. Especially since he didn't seem to stop moving once for any of it. He's now bouncing eagerly on the balls of his feet, waiting for the other man — apparently named Treize, to finish stomping snow off of his boots and remove his glove's.

Zechs watches them both in barely veiled amusement from over the rim of his coffee cup, letting his eyes flick discreetly over the pair. They are both very attractive, the chatty one slim, round faced and even longer haired then Zechs himself if the braided rope hanging down his back is anything to go by. And the other... damn, he wishes he were close enough to get a better look, because the tall, tawny haired man has to be some sort of Greek God masquerading as a human! 

He's both tall and broad, auburn hair swept back near perfectly except for a few wisps falling across his forehead. And that face — it surely has to be illegal for such cheekbones to exist! Zechs has to shake himself and tear his eyes away before they catch him staring.

After a moment the man — Treize, laughs deeply and steps forward to embrace the all but vibrating man in front of him. In return the braided boy flings his arms around Treize's neck tightly, and they stay like that for long moments before Treize releases him, shaking his head as he does. 

"Duo! My do you ever look well! And the shop! Goodness has it ever come together beautifully!"

The pair move further in, and Duo laughs and gestures about with waving arms.

"Of course! The last time you were here we'd barely started to paint the place!"

They've moved to the counter now, and Duo rushes to duck back behind the bar while Treize seats himself at one of the tall, leather chairs lining the front.

"Man, I can't believe its been an entire year already... we've missed you terribly you know!"

He's taken to bustling about, never in one place for more then a second from what Zechs can see, and he nearly starts when Duo suddenly spins around sharply and calls for Hilde who at some point disappeared into the back of the store.

"Hil! Bring out a pot of monks blend! Treize is here!" 

The sentence is barely finished when the girl in question strides out from where Zechs can only assume is the kitchen, carrying a steaming pot of tea and plate of some kind of pastry.

"I already figured that," she laughs. "You shouting loud enough to wake the dead was kind of a tip off." 

The tea and plate of confections are settled in front of Treize, and a softer smile folds across Hilde's face as she studies the man.

"Mister Khushrenada, it's lovely to see you again. I hope your trip fared well?"

Treize returns the smile and reaches for the teapot to pour the steaming liquid into the cup placed beside it. 

"It went as well as these types of things can, I'm just grateful to be home again." He pauses to take a sip of tea and sighs happily. "Perfectly steeped as always. And please Hilde, call me Treize. I've had enough of being called mister to last the next decade or so!" 

Zechs listens to the easy, familiar way the trio carry on while continuing to stare out the large picture window. Their reflections are clear in the glass against the darkness outside, and though he feels a little bad for eavesdropping on what appears to be a reunion, can't help but continue to watch. He's never really had any friends himself, with the kind of life he leads has always found it best to not — there would be nothing but trouble in it for them anyway. 

But the idea of having that sort of companionship has always struck something deep down that he's never been comfortable examining to closely, and watching the little group interact so freely makes that something twinge. Though he can't help being fascinated by the display of warmth being shown, yet also slightly unnerved by it. There seems to be no hidden agenda, no check or balance — and for Zechs, who has lived near his entire life on a scale of debits and credits — the concept of a relationship without any strings seems foreign and quite possibly dangerous. 

_Well,_ he thinks dryly, it certainty would be dangerous if they lived in his world, but they quite clearly do not, and he doubts very much they even realize such a world exists. The chasm between the life he leads and theirs is so vast, they may as well be from a different galaxy all together. Or of a different species, because Zechs at least knows what he is, and is sure he has more in common with a cockroach or the rats that live in his apartment walls then he ever could with the handsome man laughing happily with his friends. 

Swallowing the last gulp of coffee Zechs shakes his head at the morbid thoughts once again overtaking his musings. The creeping realizations of his maudlin existence are occurring more and more lately, and though he has long since accepted the disparity between what is and what could have been, cannot seem to reign in the ever depressive thoughts.

He's just considering leaving when once again the little bell above the door chimes, and when he glances over to inspect the newcomer, Duo once again calls out from across the shop.

"Wufei!" 

Just as before he comes flying across the floor, except this time he does not wait for the person to remove his coat before flinging himself at the other, wrapping the shorter man in a bear hug and spinning him around in a circle. Wufei sputters and tries to extract himself from the assault.

"Maxwell!" He growls, "release me at once! Are you daft?!"

Duo just laughs gleefully before setting the man back down. 

"Sorry 'Fei! I've missed you, is all." He flashes a quicksilver grin at Wufei and claps his hands. 

"Idiot," Wufei mutters, "we had lunch yesterday!" 

The two move over towards where Treize is still seated, and when they reach the counter Treize stands and wraps his arms around the still scowling man. Duo's grinning like a loon, and Zechs catches him in the windows reflection making kissy faces behind the embracing couples back. Hilde shakes her head and leans across the counter to grab at his braid.

"Stop it, you" she scolds, "let them have a moment!"

The two men draw away from one another, although Treize keeps ahold of Wufei by the biceps and seems to search his face for something. He must find whatever it is he's looking for, because a second later he yanks his partner forward and swoops down to steal a kiss. 

Zechs feels a pang of surprise as he watches them, and Wufei must feel the same way because he let's out a startled squeak and tries to wriggle away before giving in to Treize and relaxing.

The kiss looks tame from what Zechs can see and the two part after a few long seconds. When they pull away Duo giggles and throws Treize a thumbs up from over Wufei's shoulder and the ginger haired man laughs and sends Duo a grin to match his own.

Zechs is still busy spying on the group when his phone vibrates from within his pants pocket. It catches him off guard enough that he nearly jumps out of the chair, and hastily fumbles to dig for it. The caller is an unknown number, but Zechs already knows it's Hyde. The phone is the cheap disposable kind, and Hyde is the only one with the number to it. He's already on his feet by the time he hits the talk button.

"Zechs."

For a moment there is nothing but static and garbled background noise, but then a voice comes through. 

"Spire Street," the familiar, raspy voice replies. "Back ally beside the grotto, thirty minutes."

"Got it." 

Zechs doesn't wait for a reply, and ends the call while grabbing for his jacket slung over the back of the chair. The moment he has it on he straightens, takes a deep, silent breath and rolls his shoulders. He doesn't spare another glance towards either the window or the people he's been watching for near the past half hour. It's time to go back to reality.

He makes his way to the door, stopping at a bin to throw away his finished coffee. As he's just about to leave Hilde calls out a goodnight from where she's still with the others, and Zechs glances over his shoulder and gives a little wave in reply.  
For a second he catches the dark, intense gaze of Wufei who's staring straight at him, and a strange shudder races up his spine — it feels like the man is looking beyond Zechs himself, and at something he's not sure he wants the other man to see.

So he tears away quickly, and hurries to the exit in long strides. When the door finally clicks closed behind him Zechs let's out a long breath and runs a hand across his face, shoving blond bangs out of the way. For a second he just stands there on the sidewalk, trying desperately to gain some composure back and silently cursing himself for spending as long as he did observing the people inside the building behind him. It was foolish really, to get so caught up in something he had no part in... but for a moment anyway, the little escape from reality had been enjoyable, perhaps even the brightest spot of the entire week.

Sucking in another deep lungful of icy air, Zechs reaches to dig through his jacket and draws out a half flattened pack of cigarettes and a lighter. In quick, practiced movements he has one of them lit and takes a long draw before blowing the gray smoke out shakily. After another puff he turns and begins to make his way down the desolate street.

Hyde is waiting. 

\---------------------

Treize is nearly half asleep when Wufei pulls their black BMW down the last stretch of road to home. They're outside of Sanq's capital city by a few miles, along the base of Mount Pine — aptly named for the thick covering of fir trees which span for hundreds of acres. It's dark and late, but he keeps a steady, slow speed and watches carefully for the herds of deer who always stray down the mountain this time of year. Beside him Treize stretches in the passenger seat and sighs tiredly.

"Stiff?" He questions, glancing over at the other man. 

Treize gives a little hum of confirmation, and in his peripheral Wufei catches a glint of flawless white teeth as his partner smiles. 

"Traveling always does it to me." Treize shifts in his seat again, and one of his hands come to rest on Wufei's thigh, heavy and warm. "I know it's late, but I was hoping you'd possibly be up for a dip in the jacuzzi before we retire for the night? I think the heat would do me well."

Wufei starts to roll his eyes before remembering Treize can't possibly see it in the dark. Instead he huffs out a reply.

"Heat? I think you're just trying to badger a massage out of me. Sometimes I swear you're only with me for my hands!" 

Treize laughs, and even in the darkness Wufei can tell he's grinning.

"Oh come now dear, I love much more then just your hands. Especially that pretty little mouth of yours!" 

A flash of heat creeps over Wufei's face at his partners teasing. Even after being with Treize for the last five years he's still yet to be used to how flippantly the other can say such scandalous things. 

"However," Treize continues, "I am hopelessly in love with the best chiropractor in all of Sanq. So surely you cannot blame me if I happen to hold a healthy admiration for them?"

Wufei can only shake his head at the obvious flattery, but in lieu of a reply simply settles one of his own hands over the one still squeezing his thigh. He'll give in to Treize of course. After all, it has been a long year of only seeing his lover once every month or two, and though he's happy Treize finally fulfilled his dream of expanding his business, is glad he's home for the foreseeable future. Wufei himself is more then done with long flights and rushed weekends in much to hot Arizona. 

They're only another ten minutes or so from home when Treize brings something up that has been at the edge of Wufei's mind since they left Duo's cafe earlier, and has to admit he's mildly surprised it wasn't brought up sooner. 

"That blond by the window, there was something drawing about him don't you think?" 

There certainly was, and Wufei has to frown when he remembers catching the tall blonds eye while he was rushing out of the shop. He's not sure if drawing is the right word to describe the sad, tired look those gray eyes held, but there was certainly an aura about the man. He had been impossible not to notice, and when Treize had discreetly gestured toward him sitting all alone even Wufei — who has always been far from overly sociable — had nearly felt inclined to invite the lonely looking man to join them. 

"I've never seen him at the cafe before, nor have Duo or Hilde." 

"He was there before me," Treize muses thoughtfully. "And I have to say looked rather florin, perhaps a bit lost. He was watching us though, the entire time." 

Wufei agrees because he had also noticed in the few minutes between his arrival and the blonds departure that he had been using the large window to spy on them, and while such a thing would usually anger him, the feeling that in some way the blond had gained some much needed enjoyment had crushed any ire before it had arisen. 

He has little more time to think about the matter however, because the large, three story home he shares with Treize has finally come into view, and thoughts of the enigmatic eavesdropper are pushed aside in favor of more intimate ones. Its been nearly a year since his lover has stepped foot inside their home, and Wufei is more than eager to give him a proper homecoming.

As soon as they're both out of the car Treize is quick to snatch Wufei up into his arms, and no longer in public Wufei himself has little problem grabbing his partner by the front of his coat and instigating their second, deeper kiss of the night. At some point they make it through the front door without detaching for more then a second, and it's not until they've made it through the mud room and past the kitchen that they draw reluctantly away from one another. Wufei is nearly breathless, but manages to gasp out enough of a sentence to suggest relocating upstairs, and Treize responds by sweeping him up completely and ascending the staircase two at a time. 

An hour or so later finds them both happily submerged in the massive jacuzzi that takes up a good portion of the master bath. The room is fogged with steam and scented heavily with rose and the aftereffects of a long bout of lovemaking. Treize is barely conscious, arms folded over the lip of the tub and quite thoroughly enjoying Wufei's pressing hands from behind. He groans softly every now and then, and Wufei smiles fondly while jabbing at a dense knot along his lovers right shoulder blade. He's missed this terribly, almost can't believe how lucky he is to have found Treize to begin with, but thanks his ancestors and the gods above for bringing the man into his life.

When he'd first met Treize, he'd been out of school for only a few scant months and had just started his first job at a chiropractic clinic downtown. When Treize had wondered in, complaining about the pain from an old skiing injury Wufei had thought little more about the man then he did about any other reckless, trust fund, show off. But after a solid half-hour of cracking Treize's spine back into place and having a surprisingly intelligent conversation with him while doing so, his opinion had changed. A week later they went out for the first time to a new gallery opening, and the rest as they say, is history.

An awful lot has changed since that faithful day, but Wufei can say quite honestly it was all for the better. The last five years have been a whirlwind of excitement and contentment both — after their first year together Treize had invited him to move into his penthouse, and had introduced him quite proudly to his young daughter Marie. Another year after that saw Wufei opening his own clinic, and he and Treize buying this house together. They'd spent the better part of an entire spring and summer restoring and renovating it to their own taste. When Treize had left to go abroad last year Wufei stood by him happily as he chased down his dream of opening a slew of five star restaurants after his success with la Rosé Blanche here in Sanq.

Wufei's drawn out of his reminiscing when Treize makes a noise that is most definitely not a groan or sigh of pleasure, and it takes all he has not to start laughing when he realizes his partner has fallen asleep and is snoring away quite happily from where he's lounging. _Poor Treize,_ he thinks in mirth, _all tired out after his big, long day_. As much as he hates to wake him it's about time they got out of the tub anyway — Wufei's fingers are well past pruned — so he shakes Treize's shoulder gently to rouse him. He makes a sound in protest, but after a second one of his blue eyes crack open blurrily.

"Come on, up you go!" Wufei directs. "Let's get you dried off and into bed."

He helps Treize to stand and reaches over to the large stack of towels piled neatly beside the bath. Treize fumbles to take one but Wufei just bats his hands away and gestures for him to climb out. Once he's on the bathmat Wufei hops out and makes quick work of drying both himself and Treize. In minutes he's guiding the other man across the bathroom and through the threshold leading to their bedroom. The lights are already off, so when they reach the large, king sized bed they both crawl beneath the heavy, warm blankets. Treize shifts around and pulls Wufei close, burying his face into sleek, damp hair. A moment later he breaths out a quiet _I love you_ and is dead to the world.

Wufei smiles contentedly and repeats the sentiment, but remains lying awake. His thoughts drift back to the melancholy blond with the pained eyes from earlier, and with a pang he wonders if the man has anything even close to this in the world somewhere. 

A tiny voice in the back of his mind very much doubts it.

\-------------------

Shutting the old, warped door firmly behind him Zechs takes a second to lock both the door itself and to fasten the chain lock. Once it's as secured as possible he bends with a tired huff to unlace his dingy, worn combat boots. A few seconds later he's stripped off his wet clothing and strides across the small space he calls home towards a tall window, partially obscured by faded navy drapes.

"Lena?" He calls.

An answering meow responds, and a sleek gray cat with white booted paws hops down from the window sill. She winds around Zechs' ankles, purring loudly while looking up at him with hopeful green eyes. He gives her a half smile and leans down to scratch her ears gently.

"I know, I'm late. But I had to stop at the convenience store to get supper for us." He flicks gray eyes over to a wall clock ticking away and frowns. "Well, I guess it'll be an early breakfast, but I got your favorite brand; so hopefully you can forgive me?"

Lena meows again and stands on her hind legs to paw at his knee impatiently. Zechs gives the cat an eye roll and makes his way to the tiny kitchenette where he sets the plastic bag of groceries down on the cracked, yellowed counter. He goes about emptying its contents; three cans of tomato soup, a couple packages of instant noodles, a box of crackers and five cans of Lena's wet food, all in her preferred seafood flavors. 

He grabs one of the cans and digs through a drawer for the can opener. A minute later he sets a plate of the smelly cat chow down in front of the anxious cat and ruffles her fur fondly, watching for a second as she eagerly tucks into her meal.

"You'd think I never feed you! But I spend more on your food in the run of the week then I do on mine."

Lena merely flicks an ear in Zechs' direction, but doesn't look up from her plate of whitefish flavored mush. Zechs moves back to the counter where he opens one of the cans of tomato soup and dumps it in a bowl along with a bit of water. 

A short time later the microwave beeps and he removes the steaming bowl carefully, throws a dash of pepper on top and grabs a sleeve of crackers from out of the new box. He carries his late meal over to a little, round table set a few feet away from the window. Its seen better days — expected since it was pulled from the dumpster behind a thrift shop — and the two chairs set on either side are mismatched. But it serves its purpose, and it's not like he has company to ever see it. Only he and Lena, and she could care less about the sorry state of furniture as long as there's a place for her to curl up and sleep.

Crumbling a few of the crackers into his soup Zechs gratefully starts to eat his rather meager meal, it's not much, but he's way to tired to scrounge anything more up, and his options are limited anyway. He's just thankful Hyde was gracious enough to pay him early for the week, because a bowl of hot soup is much more appealing then the can of tuna he had originally planned on sharing with Lena for dinner. 

He eats slowly, savoring each bite while watching the street a few stories below from between the gap in the curtains. Lena's finished her own meal, and is back in her favorite spot on the wide window sill, grooming her paws and purring contentedly. While eating Zechs thinks back to the day he found her, nearly two years ago now, on a night very much like this one — impossibly cold and gloomy.

He'd been on his way home from yet another meeting with Hyde, anxious to be out of the cold, when a faint crying from within an ally he'd just passed had stopped him up. At first he'd thought it was nothing but the wind whistling through, but something had told him to stop and check the darkened lane. So creeping carefully, in case there happened to be some homeless person or ruffian lurking about; Zechs made his way through the darkness, listening intently for the sound once again. For long moments there was nothing, but just as he'd turned to leave the tiny cry had called out once again.

It seemed to be emanating from the very back where a small dumpster stood against the brick wall, and after manoeuvering around a stack of crates and palates Zechs managed to get close enough to crouch down beside it. At first he'd seen nothing, but after taking out his phone and using it for light the source of the noise had become quite clear. 

Hidden at the very back, pressed against the brick lied an impossibly tiny gray kitten, shaking terribly with its ears flat against its head. When the light landed on it, the creature turned big blue eyes up at him and mewed pitifully once more. Seeing the poor thing cold and alone made Zechs' heart clench painfully, and at once he'd slipped an arm beneath the bin to try and coax it out while calling softly.

"Here little one, come here. I'm not going to hurt you."

After a moment of watching him the kitten had hesitantly started to come closer, still crying all the while. When it had finally made it within reach, Zechs scooped it up carefully, drawing it out from under the bin and into his arms. The poor thing didn't even have the strength to struggle, and shook violently in his hold. 

As soon as he'd had it securely in his grasp Zechs had stood and pulled the zipper of his coat down, drawing the little cat to his chest and slipping it inside while keeping an arm bent to support it. Almost immediately it had started to purr, nuzzling down into his sweater and the first bit of warmth it had probably seen in days. 

Zechs had stood there with it for a second, using his free hand to stroke the top of its soft head from where it poked out from within his coat. Letting out a sigh he had glanced around, searching the darkness for any sign of a mother or siblings. But the ally looked empty now, and Zechs himself cold enough that finally he had turned to leave, all the while keeping a secure hold on the precious cargo bundled against his chest.

When he had finally made it back to his apartment he'd wasted no time getting the little creature a warm bowl of milk to drink, and in the light its woeful state had become even more apparent. The thing was horridly thin, its fur dirty and wet and crawling with fleas. It was also young, doubtfully old enough to even be way from its mother yet, probably no more then three or four weeks old. 

Zechs had spent the entire time it was devouring its milk watching it, and had to pull the starving creature away a few times so it wouldn't make itself sick in its desperation. At the time he had no idea what he was going to do with it — he could barely support himself most days — but the idea of throwing it back out onto the street to freeze or starve to death had almost made him ill. 

After the kitten had finished its meal, it toddled its way over to where Zechs had been sitting in the exact same chair as now, and lost in thoughts of perhaps finding a shelter to take it to, he'd been mildly startled when it had started to climb its way up his pant leg. When he'd looked down into his lap the kitten was staring up at him with its big blue eyes, and for the briefest moment he'd seen something so familiar in them that his heart had skipped a beat.

In that moment he could have had sworn that it was Relena's little blue eyes gazing up at him, sitting in his lap while he fed her a bottle in what was another lifetime ago. And unbidden, for the first time since he'd seen her last, almost fifteen years to the day — Zechs had felt tears pick behind his own eyes, and knew then and there he could never let the little kitten go. 

Not like he had her.

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, so the idea for this popped into my head from out of no where and pretty much begged to be written. 
> 
> Now I know this fandom is an older one, but it holds a very special place in my heart because it was one of my first. Plus I always seem to come back to it. 
> 
> This first chapter is pretty much to set the scene and give a little background for the universe I've created. If you found it slow don't worry, the pace picks up almost immediately in chapter two, which I have half finished. More of Zechs' past will come to light, although only in bits and pieces since it's an integral part of the plot that needs to play out. We will also have the first real interactions between the boys! :) It will be out hopefully early next week, so keep watch!
> 
> Reviews and criticism are always welcome, but please no bad mouthing – I'd like to think we're all adults here! If you have a problem and wish to be nasty, inbox me instead. Other then that I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it!
> 
> ~Elderberry


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